Diphenyl diselenide diet intake improves spatial learning and memory deficits in hypothyroid female rats.

Abstract

Cognitive deficits have been observed in different animal models of adult-onset hypothyroidism. Thus, this study was delineated to evaluate whether diphenyl diselenide, an organoselenium compound with neuroprotective and antioxidant properties, could afford protection against the detrimental effects of hypothyroidism on behavioral parameters. Hypothyroidism condition was induced in female rats by continuous exposure to methimazole (MTZ) at 20 mg/100 ml in the drinking water, during 3 months. MTZ-induced hypothyroid rats were fed with either standard or a diet containing 5 ppm of diphenyl diselenide for 3 months. Behavioral assessments were performed monthly, in the following order: elevated plus maze, open field and Morris water maze. The levels of thyroid hormones in the animals exposed to MTZ were lower than control until the end of experimental period. The rats exposed to MTZ had a significant weight loss from the first month, which was not modified by diphenyl diselenide supplementation. In elevated plus maze test, MTZ exposure caused a reduction on the number of entries of animals in closed arms, which was avoided by diphenyl diselenide supplementation. In Morris water maze, the parameters latency to reach the platform and distance performed to find the escape platform in the test session were significantly greater in MTZ group when compared to control. These cognitive deficits observed in MTZ-induced hypothyroid rats were restored by dietary diphenyl diselenide. The group fed with diphenyl diselenide alone exhibited a better spatial learning and memory capability in some parameters of Morris water maze when compared to the control group. In summary, our data provide evidence of the effectiveness of dietary diphenyl diselenide in improving the performance of control and hypothyroid rats in the water maze test.

• Authors: Glaecir Roseni Mundstock Dias, Francielli Araújo Vieira, Fernando Dobrachinski, Jéssika Cristina Bridi, Rodrigo de Souza Balk, Félix Antunes Soares, Cristina Wayne Nogueira, Nilda Berenice de Vargas Barbosa
• Journal: International journal of developmental neuroscience : the official journal of the International Society for Developmental Neuroscience (Int J Dev Neurosci) Vol. 30 Issue 2 Pg. 83-9 (Apr 2012) ISSN: 1873-474X [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 22244870 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2012 ISDN. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Benzene Derivatives
• Neuroprotective Agents
• Organoselenium Compounds
• Thyroid Hormones
• diphenyldiselenide

Topics

• Administration, Oral
• Animals
• Behavior, Animal (drug effects, physiology)
• Benzene Derivatives (administration & dosage)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Female
• Food, Formulated
• Hypothyroidism (chemically induced, complications, physiopathology)
• Memory Disorders (drug therapy, etiology, physiopathology)
• Neuroprotective Agents (administration & dosage)
• Organoselenium Compounds (administration & dosage)
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar
• Thyroid Hormones (deficiency)